The Four Philosophies

There are four schools of philosophical thought, and these are Idealism, Realism, Pragmatism, and Existentialism.
Idealism can be traced back to Plato's writings. Within this philosophy, ideas or concepts are the essence of everything that is worth knowing. The spiritual world is the perfect version of the physical world in which everything lasts forever and is not subject to change. People who follow this philosophy believe in the power of reasoning and assert that the rational mind has the ability to reason to the ideas that support the physical world. Idealists believe that universal or absolute truths and ideas that remain constant over time are of the greatest value. Within education, idealism is idea-centered as opposed to subject or child-centered; the idea is the foundation of everything. Educators who are idealists emphasize the study of ideas or works that have lasted over time, as well as encouraging the imitation of great leaders. Idealist educators teach mainly through lecture, discussion and imitation.
Realism came from the thinking of Aristotle and says that reality, knowledge, and value exist independently in the mind. People who follow this school of thought assert that the sense and scientific investigations are the best way to find truth in the physical world. Knowing involves sensation and abstraction, and one is able to classify things into different groups. Contemporary realists put an emphasis on the significance of scientific research and development. Realist educators assert that the ultimate goal of education is advancement in rationality. The realist curriculum would be subject-centered. Realists consider the role of the teacher to be of the utmost importance in the educational process.
Pragmatism dates back to the thinking of nineteenth-century American philosophers such as Charles S. Peirce, William James, and John Dewey. It stresses becoming rather than being. It is separate from idealism and realism in that it focuses on a belief in an open universe that is dynamic and in a state of becoming. Pragmatists put a lot of emphasis on the importance of understanding what it means to know, and they believe that we learn best through experience and experience changes both the knower and the world. They emphasize applying knowledge. Educators who are pragmatists present concepts as they relate to contemporary problems and questions. The most important thing for pragmatists to know is how to question what we know and how to reconstruct it to match the ever-changing world. They view the school as a community of learners. These teachers use learner-centered problems as a teaching focus.
The final of the four philosophies is that of existentialism. Existentialists focus on the importance of the individual rather than on external standards. Nothing is absolute and there is no ultimate principle or meaning. Every individual is the creator of his or her own essence, and the creator of her or his meaning. Existentialists believe that the most significant knowledge is personal and nonscientific. Existentialist educators encourage students to discuss their lives and the choices that they make. The highest goal in education is to search for oneself.


I feel like the philosophy that most represents me is that of pragmatism. I believe on an emphasis on becoming and how the way of reaching the state of being is just as important, if not more so, than the final result. I like the idea of an interdisciplinary approach, however I have yet to really see it implemented or thing of ways to do so consistently and frequently in my classroom. I see significance such aspects as learner-centered problems as the main focus and encouraging students to collaborate.
I also, however, can relate to the school of philosophical thought that existentialists follow. This is in the sense of how human beings are free to make choices and that we define ourselves. I believe that we are what and who we choose to be. I, like an existentialist educator, feel that we should not predict the behaviors of our students. I feel that existentialism represents me as I want to encourage students to be who they want to be and strive to become who they choose, not who society wants for them.